Penn Study Finds Physically Abused Boys May Be
More Likely to Commit Domestic Violence As AdultsMost Abuse of Boys Done by Parents ... Most Frequently Mothers

(Philadelphia, PA) - According to a study in the October 18 issue of
the Annals of Internal Medicine, a history of childhood physical
abuse may be common in men from urban settings, and these men with physical
abuse histories may be more likely to commit domestic violence. The study
found that the childhood abuse was primarily committed by parents, with
mothers being the most frequent abusers.

“The results provide a circumstantial case that abused boys may
‘learn’ that violence is an acceptable method of conflict
resolution in the home,” said William C. Holmes, MD, MSCE,
Assistant Professor of Medicine & Epidemiology at the University
of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and lead author of the study.
“Our findings suggest that, at the very least, this cycle-of-violence
connection deserves confirmation in a larger study.”

The study was conducted among a sample of 197 men aged 18 to 49, living
in Philadelphia zip code areas with high incidence of domestic violence
against women and girls. Utilizing a scale that is also used to identify
domestic violence among girls and women, the researchers found that 51%
of the men experienced at least one form of abuse that met the definition
of childhood physical abuse. The mean age at the start of abuse was approximately
eight years old; the mean age at the end of abuse was approximately 14
years old. Examples of abuse include being hit with an object or being
kicked, bit, choked, burned, scalded, or punched. (Other studies have
shown abuse prevalence of 28% in male college graduates and 51% in active
duty soldiers in the United States Army.)

The study also found that approximately 75% of the identified abuse was
carried out by parents, and of these cases, a considerably larger share
was attributed to mothers than to fathers. (The relative amount of time
that boys spent with mothers versus fathers--a possible explanation for
the difference--was not examined in the study.) Others responsible for
abuse included extended family members as well as non-family members.

“The findings point to a number of actions that can be taken,”
said Holmes, who is also an investigator at the Center for Health Equity
Research and Promotion, Philadelphia VA Medical Center. “For example,
screening for domestic violence and protecting those who screen positive
should be as important in boys as it is in girls and women. Reducing the
abuse of boys, as well as developing post-abuse interventions for boys
who have been abused, will generate direct benefits for the boys and may
help their future intimate partners and children.”

The study did not directly examine whether boys who were abused were
more likely to engage in domestic violence in their adult years because
any positive responses to such questions had ethical and potentially legal
ramifications. The researchers would have been required to inform respondents
of possible reporting requirements before conducting the study, thereby
potentially biasing the study sample or responses.

Holmes has conducted prior research into the physical and sexual abuse
of boys. The combination of those earlier findings and the new results
point to childhood abuse as a substantial risk factor for many poor outcomes
in adult males. Nevertheless, Holmes cited two major reasons for caution
in drawing definitive conclusions from the current study. First, the participants
of the current study were from a non-affluent, largely minority, and urban-based
population. Findings must be confirmed in other populations. Second, variables
related to physical abuse, but not the physical abuse itself, might actually
explain links to adult domestic violence. These could include age, sex,
or educational attainment of parents; alcohol or drug use in the home
or neighborhood; or household size and composition.

“Historically, we have focused much of our energy and resources
on abuse of women and girls,” Holmes noted. “In contrast,
boys’ experiences with domestic violence are understudied and, as
a result, male-focused policy approaches to domestic violence are deficient.
The experiences of boys may play a crucial but currently unexplored role
in men becoming perpetrators of domestic violence. By studying and identifying
patterns of behavior that may lead men to become abusive, we may be able
to make major strides toward breaking the sequence of aggression."

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